Weather: Temperatures in the upper 60s in the morning climbing to the mid 70s by the afternoon. The morning saw clear skies with a light wind that persisted all day long which made the hike comfortable.
The Mud Springs Horse Camp is locate at the southern edge of the Black Canyon Wilderness. It is best accessed via Forest Road #5840 east of Paulina. To reach this site, drive east of Paulina on paved County Road 112. About 3 miles east of Paulina, turn left onto paved County Road 113. After about 2 miles, turn right onto County Road 135 for about 9 miles. Turn right onto paved Forest Road 58 and drive east first through BLM lands then into forest lands in the Ochoco National Forest for about 3.5 miles. The forest here in early June is densely covered by yellow mules ears and bright red paintbrush! Turn left onto Forest Road #5840 and drive this good gravel road uphill about 6 miles to Forest spur road 58-800, signed for Mud Springs Campground.
Mud Springs Horse Camp is very lightly used and has 6 campsites, 9 corrals and 2 vault toilets. The two northernmost campsites are perhaps best for hiking campers. The trailhead for South Prong Trail #821 is at the north end of the campground, about 50 meters NE of the toilet structure.
The trail descends along an old road to an easy crossing of South Prong Creek before gently climbing the side of the next ridge and staying between 5000-5200' for the next two plus miles (through mostly open forest, some recently burned) to Crowbar Springs at 2.6 miles from the trailhead. The trail continues fairly level for another quarter of a mile before beginning to drop very steeply, losing about 1600' feet in about 2 miles to join the Black Canyon Trail #820 at Big Ford. We did not continue past Crowbar Springs, so we are unsure whether the steep portion of the trail passes through unburned forest or recently burned areas.
The trail was cleared in early June 2019 and probably the fall of 2018. I'd call the Forest Service office in Prineville to check with the recreation staff about current trail conditions before hiking any of the trails into the Black Canyon Wilderness as trail clearing in that area has been spotty at best in recent years.
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* indicates the wildflower is currently in bloom.
Cowpie Lichen: Diploschistes muscorum
Grand Fir: Abies grandis
Western Juniper: Juniperus occidentalis
Western Larch: Larix occidentalis
Ponderosa Pine: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa
Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii
* Snowbrush: Ceanothus velutinus var. velutinus - Peak, beautiful bloom.
Scouler's Willow: Salix scouleriana
* Elk Sedge: Carex geyeri
* Small-wing Sedge: Carex microptera
* Needlegrass: Achnatherum sp.
* Meadow Foxtail: Alopecurus pratensis
* Japanese Brome: Bromus japonicus
* Mountain Brome: Bromus sitchensis var. marginatus
* Cheatgrass: Bromus tectorum
* Orchardgrass: Dactylis glomerata
* Onespike Oatgrass: Danthonia unispicata
* Bottlebrush Squirreltail: Elymus elymoides (var. elymoides or hordeoides ?)
* Bluegrass: Poa sp.
* Bluebunch Wheatgrass: Pseudoroegneria spicata
Tapertip Onion: Allium accuminatum - In bud.
* Mountain Swamp Onion: Allium madidum
Bigpod Mariposa: Calochortus eurycarpus - In bud.
Sagebrush Mariposa: Calochortus macrocarpus ssp. macrocarpus
* False Solomon Seal: Maianthemum racemosum ssp. amplexicaule
* Meadow Death Camas: Toxicoscordion venenosum (var. ?)
* Hyacinth Cluster Lily: Triteleia hyacinthina
California False Hellebore: Veratrum (californicum var. californicum ?)
* Western Blue Flag: Iris missouriensis - Beginning to bloom.
* Inflated Grasswidow: Olsynium douglasii var. inflatum - Fading out of bloom.
* American Bistort: Bistorta bistortoides
Tall Buckwheat: Eriogonum elatum - In bud.
* Parsnipflower Buckwheat: Eriogonum heracleoides var. heracleoides
* Douglas' Knotweed: Polygonum douglasii
* Sheep Sorrel: Rumex acetosella
* Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata
* Erubescent Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia rubra ssp. rubra
* Nevada Lewisia: Lewisia nevadensis
* Lineleaf Montia: Montia linearis
* Menzie's Catchfly: Silene menziesii
* Oregon Campion: Silene oregana
* Brown's Peony: Paeonia brownii - Numerous.
Creeping Oregon Grape: Berberis repens
* Western Columbine: Aquilegia formosa - Beginning to bloom.
* Meadow Larkspur: Delphinium depauperatum - Beginning to bloom.
* Upland Larkspur: Delphinium nuttallianum
* Large-flowered Swamp Buttercup: Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. platyphyllus
* Little Buttercup: Ranunculus uncinatus
Wormleaf Stonecrop: Sedum stenopetalum - In bud.
* Rockcress: Boechera pendulocarpa ?
* Small-flowered Prairie Star: Lithophragma parviflorum var. parviflorum
* Swamp Saxifrage: Micranthes nidifica
Wax Currant: Ribes cereum var. cereum
* Serviceberry: Amelanchier alnifolia var. alnifolia
Mountain Mahogany: Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus
* Sticky Cinquefoil: Drymocallis glandulsa var. glandulosa
* Nevada Cinquefoil: Drymocallis lactea var. lactea
* Woods Strawberry: Fragaria vesca ssp. bracteata
* Broad-petal Strawberry: Fragaria virginiana ssp. platypetala
* Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum
* Elmer's Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. elmeri
* Slender Cinquefoil: Potentilla gracilis var. fastigiata
Western Burnet: Poteridium occidentale - In bud.
Bittercherry: Prunus emarginata var. emarginata
* Chokecherry: Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa
* Baldhip Rose: Rosa gymnocarpa
Pursh's Deervetch: Acmispon americanus var. americanus
* Glabrous Sickle Milkvetch: Astragalus curvicarpus var. subglaber
* Spurred Lupine: Lupinus arbustus - Beginning to bloom.
* Broadleaf Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius ? - Beginning to bloom. The form is like that of Burke's lupine, but the lateral branches with young inflorescences on them suggests broadleaf lupine.
Stonyground Lupine: Lupinus saxosus ? - Past bloom.
* Oregon Checkermallow: Sidalcea oregana (var. ?)
* Sticky Geranium: Geranium viscosissimum var. incisum
Goosefoot Violet: Viola purpurea ssp. venosa
* Elkhorns Clarkia: Clarkia pulchella
* Diamond Clarkia: Clarkia rhomboidea - Beginning to bloom.
Tall Annual Willowherb: Epilobium brachycarpum
* Purple-leaved Willowherb: Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum
* Small-flowered Willowherb: Epilobium minutum
* Dwarf Groundsmoke: Gayophytum humile
* Fennel Cymopterus: Cymopterus terebinthinus var. foeniculaceus
* Nineleaf Desert Parsley: Lomatium brevifolium ? (ex L. trifolium)
* Slender-fruit Desert Parsley: Lomatium leptocarpum
* Barestem Desert Parsley: Lomatium nudicaule
* Butterfly Loving Desert Parsley: Lomatium papilioniferum
* Common Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza berteroi
* Western Sweet Cicely: Osmorhiza occidentalis
Sierra Snakeroot: Sanicula graveolens
Pinemat Manzanita: Arctostaphylos nevadensis
Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedaea
Grouseberry: Vaccinium scoparium
Flytrap Dogbane: Apoynum androsaemifolium
* Darkthroat Shootingstar: Dodecatheon pulchellum (var. monanthum or var. pulchellum ?) - Fading out of bloom.
Large-flowered Collomia: Collomia grandiflora
* Harkness' Linanthus: Leptosiphon harknessii
* Midget Phlox: Microsteris gracilis
* Near Navarretia: Navarretia intertexta (var. ?)
* Alva Day's Navarretia: Navarretia sinistra ssp. sinistra
Dwarf Hesperochiron: Hesperochiron pumilis
Ballheaded Waterleaf: Hydrophyllum capitatum var. alpinum
* Small-flowered Nemophila: Nemophila parviflora var. austiniae
* Varileaf Phacelia: Phacelia heterophylla ssp. virgata
* Cryptanth: Cryptantha sp. - small flowers
* Puccoon: Lithospermum ruderale
Long-flowered Bluebell: Mertensia longiflora - Past bloom.
* Slender Branch Popcornflower: Plagiobothrys leptocladus ?
Nettleleaf Horsemint: Agastache urticifolia - In bud.
* Narrowleaf Skullcap: Scutellaria angustifolia ssp. angustifolia
* Wavyleaf Paintbrush: Castilleja applegatei var. pinetorum ?
* Peck's Paintbrush: Castilleja peckiana
* Hairy Owlclover: Castilleja tenuis
* Small-flowered Blue-eyed Mary: Collinsia parviflora
* Short-flowered Monkeyflower: Erythranthe breviflora
* Rydberg's Penstemon: Penstemon rydbergii (var. oreocharis ?)
* Showy Penstemon: Penstemon speciosus
* Thyme-leaf Speedwell: Veronica serpyllifolia var. serpyllifolia
* Broad-leaved Plantain: Plantago major
* Cleavers: Galium aparine
Low Mountain Bedstraw: Galilum bifolium
Northern Bedstraw: Galium boreale
* Blue Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana ssp. cerulea
Common Snowberry: Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus
* Mountain Snowberry: Symphoricarpos oreophilus var. utahensis
* Yarrow: Achillea millefolium
Spearleaf Agoseris: Agoseris retrorsa
* Silvery Pussytoes: Antennaria argentea
* Woodrush Pussytoes: Antennaria luzuloides
* Rosy Pussytoes: Antennaria pulvinata (A. rosea)
* Heartleaf Arnica: Arnica cordifolia
Twin Arnica: Arnica sororia
* Arrowleaf Balsamroot: Balsamorhiza sagittata - Plants showing a fair amount of Carey's balsamroot trails (multiple flower heads, shiny green leaves, etc)
Canada Thistle: Cirsium arvense
Palouse Thistle: Cirsium brevifolium -In bud.
* Tapertip Hawksbeard: Crepis acuminata
Gray Hawksbeard: Crepis intermedia - In bud.
Yellow Rabbitbrush: Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus ssp. viscidiflorus
* Eaton's Shaggy Fleabane: Erigeron eatonii var. villosus
Unadorned Fleabane: Erigeron inornatus var. inornatus ? - Only leafy stems.
* Yellow Desert Daisy: Erigeron linearis
Rough-leaved Aster: Eurybia radulina
* Rocky Mountain Sunflower: Helianthella uniflora var. douglasii
* Scouler's Hawkweed: Hieracium scouleri
* Least Tarweed: Madia exigua
* Mountain Tarweed: Madia glomerata
Slender Tarweed: Madia gracilis - In bud.
* Sweet Marsh Butterweed: Senecio hydrophiloides
* Western Groundsel: Senecio integerrimus var. exaltatus
* Common Dandelion: Taraxacum officinale
Salsify: Tragopogon dubius
* White Mule's Ears: Wyethia helianthoides - Fading out of bloom.
Belding Ground Squirrels
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Flicker
Black-headed Grosbeaks
Hermit Thrushes - calling
Steller's Jays
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood Peewees
Cassin's Finches
Chipping Sparrows
Mountain Chickadees
White-breasted Nuthatches
Yellow-rumped Warblers
House Wrens
Rock Wren
Pale Swallowtails
Western Swallowtails
Lorquin's Admirals
Mourning Cloaks
California Tortoiseshells
Ochre Ringlets
Sulphur
Boisduval's Blues
Greenish Blues
Ruddy Coppers ?